TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
by i can't walk away
Summary: It's summer. It's hot. Emma/Mickey. Possibly one shot, not sure.


" **TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. "**

**Hustle belongs to the BBC, including all of the characters, etc. I can't believe they only have six episodes a series after Emma and Mickey nearly kissed in the last one! UNBELIEVABLE! Anyway, 1558 words which I'm quite pleased about. Review if you want more, also. Constructive criticism welcome but not anything out of order. Thanks for reading :]**

"Mickey," Emma said softly, placing a hand on the front of his shirt and taking a small step backwards. It didn't help much considering the physical contact was now driving the both of them crazy but it was putting a little more space between their bodies which was always good with them two. Mickey breathed out softly and she pulled her hand back quickly, feeling burned at his movement under her hand. She put her hand down, but Mickey couldn't resist grinning at her. She narrowed her eyes at him for that grin. She knew that smug grin – he thought he'd won because she'd jumped. That smug git.

It was him that had started flirting with her, AGAIN. All of a sudden after that they'd both been a hell of a lot closer on the balcony they'd almost shared a kiss on once before. Her mental strength always showed to be stronger than his however since she was always the one to back out before him. He couldn't control it when he was that close to her and he was glad that she was there to do that, really. She walked off quickly, her hair falling forward from her back as she bowed her head to hide the blush for as long as she was in his sight. She made it through into their appartment and rubbed her lips together at the thought of what had almost just happened.

She didn't want things to get awkward between them, and he'd told her a couple of times that he didn't want it to happen for the same reasons. Not that he hadn't made clear quite often enough that he wanted it. Whatever he said though, she used it against him. Whether it was him not wanting anything to happen between them or something as stupid as him saying that something in a con would definately work out. It was fun to her. At first she'd been really worried that one small thing would get her and her brother thrown out of the crew but now she was more comfortable with everyone, she let her usual wild and creative personality shine through.

Thinking on the spot was a necessary thing for con artists and Emma definately used that out of her work – basically every time Mickey tried to come onto her, really. She had heard a whisper of his past with Stacie and though she didn't like it, it didn't particularly bother her. She did wonder about why he'd ended up with some sort of involvement with the woman on his crew every time but she let it go – it wasn't any of her business.

Mickey stayed up on the balcony for the next ten minutes calling himself an idiot in his head, over and over. He knew that Emma was prone to using what he said against him but hey, he deserved it. He should be able to stick by it. He knew he was right when he said it could make things complicated but he was pretty sure he was willing to take the risk for this. She was different to what he was used to – wild, unpredictable and she had a really feisty and defiant personality too. She had nothing against challenging him and it was almost fun. It was like a game, even if serious feelings were behind it. Normally he'd be on at her about mixed signals – flirting one minute and stopping him the next but he'd done the same to her by saying that then doing... that. He had a sneeky feeling this was part of her game – she wanted him to admit he was wrong before he got anywhere with her.

She grinned to herself sat on the sofa, thinking over her plan. It was indeed what he thought, she was going to make him admit he was wrong which was a lot for Mickey Bricks so she knew that if she got him to do that, that this was worth it. Question was, would she be able to keep backing off for that long? She knew how stubborn Mickey was, and she knew how she felt every time he got that close to her and it was getting worse every time he did it so would she really manage to keep her hands off him for that long?

Mickey arrived back in the appartment, his appearance not going unnoticed by Emma. It was warm weather – very. It was quite shocking really, Britain was awful for the weather but this was the hottest day in a long time. Emma was sat on one of the sofas, legs curled up next to her in a dress and flip flops. She looked expensive though – very. And she was. But she could support herself even without the crew. The crew just meant she got more shoes. He knew that, which is why he never teased her on her expensive taste. He headed into the kitchen which was open plan with the living room. He could see her sat there, glass to her lips, determined to ignore him. He was multi-tasking though, making it look like he wasn't looking. He ducked down to get some ice and which point he stood up sharply.

"_Emma..._" he almost whined. She turned to him, a small innocent smile on her lips. "Ice!" She fluttered her eyelashes at him and he fought not to look at her lips. This was _not _Mickey losing control. That didn't exist. He realised he hadn't said anything and snapped back into action. "You used it all?" She gave him the innocent smile again and took another sip of her drink. Ash got back through the door from wherever he wandered off during the day. He smiled and greeted Emma as he walked past her to the dining table behind the sofa. The appartment was huge and free, to them at least. Emma patted Ash's arm in hello as he passed and smiled back. Mickey couldn't help but pay attention to this. "She used all the ice," he said to Ash as if he was a father talking to a mother about a small child. Ash faked shock. "Well, missus, you two better get down the shop."

She turned away from him, his eyes boring into her but jokingly now. He stepped towards her, tugging her up off the sofa by her hand, almost making her drop her glass. She put it on the table successfully as he dragged her out of the door, her running slightly in her shoes. He let go of her hand when they were out of the door and put a hand on her back as they walked down the stairs. She hesitated before she put her arm across his back. They made their way downstairs, into the reception area and she dropped her arm from his back as he moved her into the door. They came out of the other side of the moving circular door and turned the corner, walking along the street slowly in the heat. "Are you trying to give me sunstroke?" she joked with him.

He grinned down at her. "It might pay you back for using all of the ice." She groaned dramatically. "Is the ice really all that important to you?" He raised an eyebrow. "In this weather?" She considered the point. "Fair play." They turned a corner, Mickey grinning in his small triumph. As they turned the corner, they got soaked. There was a broken hydren with water spilling out of it. Emma dived behind Mickey making an effort to stop her hair going frizzy. His shirt got soaked but he was a guy, it didn't matter to him. He went to turn to Emma and found her cowering behind his back. He turned to her, grinning that famous smug smirk. "I've suddenly thought of a better way of payback about the ice." Her eyebrows raised to question whether he was really that childish. A grin from him answered that question. She went to run but his arms were already around her, scooping her up around her waist and spinning her into the water to be stood in front of him. She squeeled and squirmed in his arms until she gave in and stopped. She knew there was no chance of fighting him off and resigned herself to her fate of frizzy hair.

She turned around to hit him in the chest just as he went to push her further into the water and her hand went up against his wet through shirt. She looked up at him, not knowing what else to do and he looked back down at her, a bit confused by the contact. He tried not to lean closer to her but he did slightly. But it was an accident, she should have known better than to remove her hand that slowly. She pulled it down his wet shirt to remove it and he could feel every single movement of her hand before she removed it. She looked up at him as he leaned down and their lips met, their eyes closing automatically. She hesitated at first, shocked and then she realised how good it felt and any memories of their game went out of the window as she kissed him back, her arms going up around his neck.


End file.
